What’s up with the World’s Most Moral Army in the Only Democracy In The Middle East?
Defending credibly accused torturers by violent attack on the IDF, for instance
Once again demonstrating that apartheid has a toxic effect even within the Herrenvolk-type democracy that it excludes is illustrated by a bizarre moment in which Israeli protesters, outraged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is taking some kind of disciplinary action against soldiers found to be torturing prisoners are staging violent protests against the IDF.
The conservative Times of Israel reports1:
Far-right activists on Monday evening broke into a military base where soldiers detained on suspicion of abusing a Palestinian detainee were taken for questioning, hours after a separate base was stormed by a right-wing mob fuming over the arrests.
The anarchic scenes of mass break-ins Monday, fomented by several members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, some of whom took part in the forcible entries, sparked angry condemnation from IDF chief Herzi Halevi, who said they harmed the army, Israel’s security and the war effort.
What led to this particular event?
The protests were sparked by the arrests earlier in the day of nine Israel Defense Forces soldiers suspected of the serious abuse of a Palestinian terror detainee at the Sde Teiman military facility in southern Israel, causing an outcry among far-right politicians.
Right-wing lawmakers including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu and Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot whipped their supporters into an angry frenzy, calling on them to show up outside Sde Teiman to protest the soldiers’ detention. …
The investigation into the soldiers was launched after a detained terror suspect was brought from the base to a hospital with signs of serious abuse, including to his anus. He was arrested by the IDF in the Gaza Strip several weeks ago. [my emphasis]
The even more conservative Jerusalem Post reports why soldiers in The World’s Most Moral Army might be anally raping a Palestinian prisoner. It was all his fault, you see!
The soldiers detained for allegedly assaulting a Nukhba terrorist claimed he attacked them first, the organization Honenu, which represents four of the soldiers, announced on behalf of the suspects.
They stated that the incident occurred about a month ago when the prisoner was transferred from Ofer Prison to Sde Teiman that day, likely due to a rebellion he was involved in while at the former facility.
A soldier and friend of the nine detainees provided the same explanation. …
The soldiers presiding over the terrorist were conducting a routine search on him, during which the prisoner began to resist, attacking and biting the soldiers. Additionally, they mentioned that one of the soldiers was injured in the attack.2 [my emphasis]
Hey, it was only nine to one against an arrested prisoner! Give these poor torturers a break, won’t you?!
The article cites a “soldier and friend of the nine detainees” on the situation, referring to him as “the fighter”:
"Do you even know who the terrorist who complained is?" the fighter said. "He is an arch-terrorist who played a significant role in the murderous attack on 10/7 and shouldn't even be alive if he had committed his crimes in another country. We won't leave here until all the fighters are released. If you want to investigate, please, there is a way right way to do it. Someone here is confused—they are the terrorists, not us." [my emphasis]
No indication in the “news” article about whether the claims of the nine “fighters” who “presided over” the “arch terrorist” had been independently confirmed in any way. At least they report that a hospital had confirmed that the “arch terrorist” showed “signs of serious abuse, including to his anus.”
Haaretz columnist Amos Harel elaborates:
The turmoil revolves around the perfectly legitimate decision of the military advocate general, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, to dispatch military police to detain for questioning nine reservists serving at the Sde Teiman detention facility.
The reservists are suspected of aggravated abuse and forcible sodomy of a Palestinian arrested in the Gaza Strip. The alleged victim was rushed to the hospital due to injuries.
Videos showing reservist guards at Sde Teiman, expressing anger at the arrest of their colleagues, were swiftly shared on social media. Right-wing politicians announced that they were coming to show support for the detained soldiers and slammed the military advocate general and Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi. Dozens of protesters even broke into the base, and soldiers struggled to expel them.3 [my emphasis]
That’s a bit broader view of the situation. And Harel continues:
The incident appeared to mark another milestone in the disintegration of Israeli society. …
While the procedure the army undertook is unusual [he apparently means the arrest of the alleged torturers] – certainly during wartime – it appears to be justified given the seriousness of the allegations. Hundreds of Palestinians have been held at Sde Teiman, including many suspected of being involved in Hamas' October 7 massacre.
Since the start of the Gaza war, prisoners released from the facility have spoken publicly about the harsh conditions there. International organizations have written about it as well. Haaretz has reported that close to 30 prisoners from Gaza died at Sde Teiman, which attracted global attention and demands for an investigation. The Israeli and military justice systems are concerned about entanglements with the international courts. [my emphasis]
Harel bluntly concludes. “The sad truth is that the deranged murderousness demonstrated by Hamas in the October 7 massacre has dragged Israel down into a vicious circle of violence and revenge.”
[National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir and his frenemy, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, released identical messages calling on the military advocate general to "take her hands off the reservists." The choice of words is not accidental; it seems to be intended to imply that she is harassing heroic soldiers.
It should be said without hesitation that these people are irresponsible populists. Not only have they failed to show an ounce of empathy toward the families of the hostages and have repeatedly blocked a deal for their return by politically blackmailing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but now they are seeking immunity for those suspected of acts of violence, which could lead to the hostages being harmed. [my emphasis]
Allegations that even the IDF decided they had to take seriously enough to act on them.
This represents a serious rightwing revolt within the IDF. The fact that the National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, who heads the Israeli police, is siding with the violent protesters in criticizing the arrest of the alleged torturers is a grim sign.
Among the demonstrators at Beit Lid were armed and masked soldiers, some of them wearing the Force 100 logo on their uniforms – the unit that was re-established at the beginning of the war and is believed to have been tasked with guarding Gazan detainees at Sde Teiman. …
Opposition leader Yair Lapid [a centrist from the Yesh Atid Party and former Prime Minister] said of the events at Sde Teiman: "This is not a riot; this is an attempted coup by an armed militia against a weak prime minister who is unable to take control of his government."4
Alon Pinkas declares;
It is nothing short of astounding to see how Israel, a [nation] of innovation, creativity and scientific excellence, is walking straight into pariah status with eyes wide shut. …
Take the last 18 months: a constitutional coup instigated by an aspiring authoritarian prime minister, aided by an extremist theocratic-messianic-nationalistic governing coalition that not only affected relations with the Palestinians, but essentially diminished Israel's brand to the verge of value destruction.
Not only did Israel flagrantly, recklessly and myopically avoid any political negotiation with the Palestinians, it actively weakened the Palestinian Authority by purposely strengthening Hamas in a callous, dumb policy that led to October 7. What the prosecution of the Gaza war did to Israel's brand and reputation globally is undisputedly bad. To somehow manage to turn a just and justifiable war into a diplomatic calamity – with ongoing probes by both the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court – takes talent. …
Israel is still strong, powerful and vibrant. It cannot be defeated externally, only by internal and internecine forces. It is held hostage by an untethered, narcissistic prime minister and an End-of-Days coalition of zealots determined to march into follies. It tragically seems to exemplify the old line: We are on the verge of the abyss but are determined to take a step forward.5 [my emphasis]
The Haaretz editorial board sees this latest development as a sign of serious governmental crisis:
The chain of events at the Sde Teiman military detention facility Monday and afterward at the entrance to the Beit Lid army base in the Sharon is living and direct proof of the advanced disintegration of Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu. Every link in the chain points to systemic decay; taken together, they are deadly. …
In the wake of the arrests, dozens of demonstrators came to Sde Teiman to protest the soldiers' detention, stormed the gate and entered the base. Accompanying them were none other than MK Tzvi Succot (Religious Zionism) and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, who was recorded shouting, with the demonstrators, "Death to terrorists." MK Almog Cohen (Otzma Yehudit) also came to the protest. The members of the extreme right acted like militiamen and broke into an army installation in protest against the Military Police. …
The Netanyahu state has lost control of the extreme right. He who sows chaos shall reap chaos. If they are not stopped, they will dismantle the state for good. [my emphasis]
Dahlia Scheindlin explains on X/Twitter her own grim view of the moment6:
Fabian, Emanuel (2024): ‘Bordering on anarchy’: IDF chief sounds alarm after right-wing mob overruns 2nd base. Times of Israel 07/30/2024. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/bordering-on-anarchy-idf-chief-sounds-alarm-after-right-wing-mob-overruns-2nd-base/> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
(1) Fabian, Emanuel (2024): ‘Bordering on anarchy’: IDF chief sounds alarm after right-wing mob overruns 2nd base. Times of Israel 07/30/2024. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/bordering-on-anarchy-idf-chief-sounds-alarm-after-right-wing-mob-overruns-2nd-base/> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
Harel, Amost (2024): Storming Sde Teiman, Far-right Lawmakers Try to Inject Chaos Into the Israeli Army. Haaretz 07/29/2024. <https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-29/ty-article/.premium/storming-of-sde-teiman-is-attempt-by-far-right-to-provoke-insurrection-in-the-idf/00000190-ff6e-da63-a9d0-ffefdf520000> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
Peleg, Bar et. al. (2024): IDF Moves Troops to Base Where Violent Mob Protested Arrest of Soldiers for Abusing Gaza Detainee. Haaretz 07/30/2024. <https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-30/ty-article/.premium/idf-move-troops-to-base-where-mob-protested-arrest-of-soldiers-for-abusing-gaza-detainee/00000191-008a-d643-a1d1-b88eb6730001> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
Pinkas, Alon (2024): For Israel, Pariah Status Now Beckons. Haaretz 07/29/2024. <https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-29/ty-article/.premium/the-march-of-folly-chapter-five-israel/00000190-feca-d22a-abfe-ffeae9500000> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
Scheindlin, Dahlia (2024): X/Twitter 07/29/2024. <https://x.com/dahliasc/status/1818038963053150659> (Accessed: 2024-30-07).
Thanks for the excellent roundup. Haaretz points out that Bibi has lost control of the right wingers, I’m not sure if that claim holds up. Actually they’re following Bibi’s footsteps whose disdain for the rule of law and depraved morality has been in display for a long time. I’m afraid it’s permeating throughout Israeli society.